Long Run Nutrition
Author: Kyra Arsenault
Hi everyone!
Thanks for coming back and reading on your busy day! I hope you've been taking some time for yourself to do what you love, unwind, and relax. Maybe you've even been spending Monday nights watching football this season?
Okay great, I haven't either! I do, however, know about essential terms related to the sport - and now that we've tackled what to eat before a run in our last post, let's talk about how to fuel during one!
You're all probably familiar with the phrase "hitting the wall." I'm sure it's happened to most runners at least once!
In reality, if you fuel properly, you will never find yourself in that position. Hitting the wall refers to your body's glycogen (energy) stores being depleted, meaning you are all out of fuel. The tank is empty, and you're runnin' on fumes. Your legs feel like lead and you can barely pick them up to go the extra mile. Without enough energy, this is par for the course.
Okay - enough with the clichés, let's cut to the chase.
If you're going for longer than an hour, you need to start thinking about replenishing those glycogen stores!
There are many fun ways to do this.
For optimal results, your body needs 30-60 grams of carbohydrates for every hour you are out on the streets.
Some great options are:
-Clif Bloks
-Honey Stinger Chews/Gels
-Sports Beans
-Maurten Gels
-Huma Gels
-Swedish Fish
Unfortunately, the typical "serving size" for most energy gels and chews that are often used for refueling are between 22-24 grams of carbohydrates. Even if that's sort of almost close to enough, it's on the low end.
My favorites are the Clif Bloks! I've been working myself up to having the whole package of 6 blocks per 45 minutes to get the most out of it, even though the "serving size" is 3 - and let me tell you, my race experience and long runs have improved significantly. The one thing that changed between me breaking down and having energy was increasing the amount of blocks I took in. I credit some of my best races to having enough fuel. It improves endurance and prevents fatigue.
Make sure to take a look at the back of the package you use and see how many grams of carbs per serving it is - you'll probably end up taking 2-3 gels at a time, or a whole package of chews to get you up to the optimal amount. If it's easier to take in a smaller dose at once, then split up the 30-60 grams and take one gel every half hour, instead of 2-3 at every 45 minutes.
As a human being, you must also drink water every 15-20 minutes - 4-8 gulps for about 4-8 oz is the best way to keep yourself hydrated. ALWAYS take in your fuel with water to help it digest and get into your bloodstream quicker.
You can certainly use Gatorade/sports drinks to supplement some carbohydrate intake along with what you're eating, but it is important to also be taking in the fuel - as the drinks aren't as energy dense as gels/chews can be, and it may be difficult to consume enough of it to get the overall energy and carbohydrate content that you need.
Plan to take it in like a machine every ~45 minutes, and no later than an hour into the run. You probably won't notice yourself getting hungry- and even if you do it might be too late at that point! Trusting the science and your body's ability to do its job with the energy it requires is the key to success.
Think of it this way: The more you fuel, the better you'll run, the more touchdowns the Patriots will score! Well, at least the first two :)
